Dr. Fahlman's academic and management experience guided the NRC's contribution to the community-based Long Range Plan for Astronomy in Canada for the decade beginning in 2000 (LRP2000). Important achievements under LRP2000 included the entry of Canada into the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) project through a partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation and the transition of the twin Gemini telescopes from a construction project to its operational phase.

Implementation of the Long Range Plan (LRP2010) is underway. Key milestones have already been met by Canada's membership in the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation, a global radio astronomy project, and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), which will become the most advanced and powerful optical telescope on Earth. As the Director General of NRC Herzberg, Dr. Fahlman is responsible for overseeing Canada's interests in the national infrastructure in ground-based astronomy, which include partnerships in several major international observatories.

As a professor of astronomy at the University of British Columbia from 1971 to 1999, Dr. Fahlman established research programs covering a broad range of astrophysics in the fields of observational galactic and extragalactic astronomy. He has been an active user of all telescopes supported by the NRC. Most recently, his research has been directed toward the study of the Milky Way's star clusters, both young and old. His particular emphasis is on the identification and study of the remnants of the oldest stars, which are used to set an independent limit on the age of the Universe.

Over his career, Dr. Fahlman has served on numerous national committees and review panels. From May 1999 until January 2003, Dr. Fahlman served as Executive Director of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). At present he serves on the Boards of Directors of the CFHT, the Gemini Observatory, the TMT International Observatory and the SKA Organisation. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Lethbridge and McMaster University. He was made a member of the Order of British Columbia in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Canadian astronomy and astrophysics.